


For Him and For You

by ThereIsNoTragedyInThat



Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [230]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys In Love, Don't copy to another site, Exhaustion, Fear, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Stephen Strange, M/M, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Trust, aunt may - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:29:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24081343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat/pseuds/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat
Summary: When Peter is injured, Stephen gives a piece of himself so he can live. Tony doesn't know how to handle it.
Relationships: Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: A Thousand Futures of Me and You [230]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1118655
Comments: 13
Kudos: 154





	For Him and For You

“Can’t you see how fucked up this is?”

Stephen stiffened, hands loose by his side, as he watched Tony pace the hallway in front of him. It was dismally familiar, the white walls, hard plastic chairs, checkered floor. Even the distressed loved one pulling at their hair and speaking furiously, trying not to yell so as not to alert their injured friend or family beyond the too thin doorway.

Tony’s jaw clenched as he glared, clearly waiting for Stephen to offer up something but he had no words, no actions to convey how very wrong he thought Tony was. Peter’s Aunt was sitting at his bedside speaking quietly, instead of mourning because of his actions and there was nothing on this planet that would make him regret his decision.

“Stephen,” he snapped. “Say something.”

“There isn’t anything to say. I saved Peter’s life. That was what you wanted.”

“Not like this!”

He shouldn’t say it but he had to, because it was the truth, “there was no other way.”

“Don’t you dare,” he hissed, walking up to him, eyes blazing. “There is always another way.”

Stephen had seen this before and maybe that was why he managed to keep his composure. He’d seen grieving parents who’d been torn apart by the guilt that came with the knowledge that their child had been saved only at the expense of another’s life. They were grateful, wouldn’t change it for anything, but that didn’t mean it didn’t also tear them up inside and wish desperately that it had been themselves, so they wouldn’t have to live with the realization.

The problem was…this was completely different, and he needed to make Tony see that. Make him understand that Stephen wasn’t going to miraculously drop dead at his feet just because he had sunk a piece of his life source into Peter in order to keep his heart beating until his healing powers repaired the broken bones and internal bleeding.

Academically, Tony knew that. Maybe if Stephen had informed him of his intentions before actually doing the spell, he would have taken it easier, but there hadn’t been time, not even to consult with Wong. It had been a snap decision, made between one heartbeat and the next. He hadn’t known there would be physical evidence of what he’d done. Some part of him had hoped to do the work, inform Tony he’d found a spell and leave the unpleasant details for when all of this was over.

Stephen had never been so lucky. His hair had gone white rapidly, expanding from the streaks along the side, his face, he was told, had aged before their eyes, new lines making themselves known and although they didn’t know this, Stephen had felt his heart stop, just for a moment. All of that last maybe thirty seconds before he became himself again, hair and face and everything…except the streaks, they were longer than before, a little thicker on the sides. The only evidence left.

In front of him, Tony was breathing harshly, emotion on jumbled up and painful in his eyes. Stephen wished he could take that all away, that he knew exactly what words to say and how to make everything alright. Wong would know. The man, despite his insistence that he was anything but soft, proved to be adept at taking care of those he loved with a simplicity that was both elegant and unattainable. It turned out, however, that Stephen didn’t need to say anything, because it wasn’t his words that would finally get through to Tony, but somebody else’s.

“Mr. Stark?”

The sound of Peter’s voice, small and anxious echoed into the hallway. This side of the Avenger’s medical bay was practically abandoned since Stephen had arrived and banished the panicked staff. Not because they weren’t good at their jobs but because attempting to help while Tony Stark, the man who funded the entire place, was becoming an insurmountable task.

The effect was immediate. The fierceness of Tony’s expression gave way and his posture slumped. Stephen could physically see the anger slipping away and he was grateful for it, grateful that Tony was remembering why he had done this and just how important it was.

“Just a minute Peter,” Stephen called out before turning his attention back to Tony. “I did it for him Tony. He was slipping away; I could feel it. His aura was fading and his heartbeat…it stopped moments before I began the spell. I did it for him.”

The fact that he’d done it for Tony too went unspoken. Warm brown eyes met his and a trembling hand reached up, fingers skating across his temple where the streaks were, following the white hair back in a barely there stroke.

The heartbroken expression was too much to bear, “Tony, I’m okay,” Stephen whispered, willing him to believe the words. “I’m going to live a relatively long life and a very, very happy one. We’re okay I promise.”

Pulling him into a hug, Stephen closed his eyes against the relief in his chest at the way Tony’s arms tightened around him, his grip strong and unbreakable like he could keep Stephen standing there forever with his bare hands. Stephen didn’t protest, simply held him back, whispered in his ear how much he loved him and that they were okay.

He didn’t apologize because he had also promised never to lie to Tony. The man also didn’t say he wasn’t angry because this conversation was far from over and they both knew it. Stephen already dreaded the moment when he would have to tell Tony that it wasn’t even the first time, he’d used that spell, had given away pieces of himself so others might live. That would be a struggle for another time.

For now, Tony took his hand, exhaled loudly and turned toward the hospital room. His grip was gentle but steady and Stephen knew the moment they entered that room the last of their worries would seep away, because he would finally understand, having Peter and Stephen both standing and breathing. Some things, could be problems for another day.


End file.
